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Jessica Watson

Jessica and the World Food Programme

Jessica Watson, OAM, was born in 1993 at the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. After circumnavigating the globe on her own at 16, Jessica was voted as Young Australian of the Year in 2011, and is now fighting hunger as WFP’s Youth Representative. Visit WFP Laos's Facebook page here.

“As Youth Representative for WFP, I wanted to be involved with programmes that directly improve the lives of children, and WFP’s School Meals Programme does just that – it keeps more children in school for longer,” explains Jessica.

Jessica’s accomplishments in sailing and her commitment to ensuring more school children receive a nutritious WFP meal is a natural fit. On 15 May 2010, after seven months at sea, Jessica sailed her yacht ‘Ella’s Pink Lady’ into Sydney Harbour and was greeted by 1,600 boats and 100,000 fans. Without the right nutrition and education, Jessica wouldn’t have realized her dream. Her work today with WFP is helping future generations to be empowered to realize theirs. Jessica explains, “At age 16, I achieved my dream. I want the school children in Laos to be able to achieve their dream. And stopping hunger is the first step in that process.”

In Australia, WFP is proud to partner for Jessica’s LAOS School Nutrition project J753N with Global Development Group (ABN 57 102 400 993), an Australian AusAID approved Non Government Organisation carrying out quality humanitarian projects with approved partners and providing aid to relieve poverty and provide long term solutions. Global Development Group takes responsibility of the project according to AusAID rules providing a governance role and assisting in the areas of planning, monitoring, evaluating and auditing to ensure the projects are carried out to AusAID requirements. Donations over $2 to this Global Development Group approved aid & development project J753N are tax deductible in Australia , and will be issued by Global Development Group.

Ways to Help

Have you ever tried to study on an empty stomach? It’s not easy to concentrate when you’re hungry, and that’s why WFP has a School Meals programme that makes sure kids get a nutritious meal every day at school! Jessica’s been working with us on this programme in Laos, and she’s seen first-hand how it positively affects student learning. Now, she’s calling on you to get involved!

Now you have the chance to join Jess and SchoolAID Australia in raising awareness and funds for WFP’s School Meals in Laos! Between July and September, students will be competing to raise rice on FreeRice.com and funds through donations from their communities. It’s great to help those in need, but Jessica has a bigger reward in mind for you. The 8 schools that raise the most rice or funds will win a visit from Jess herself!

So, talk to your teacher and get organized! You can make a FreeRice team and become experts in geography and maths, or start up a collection while helping Jessica spread the word! However you decide to get involved, you’re making a difference in the fight against hunger and giving kids just like you a chance to go to school with a full stomach. Register your class here!

Not in Australia? You can still join Jessica in the fight against hunger on her WeFeedBack profile!

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